Three roars for Mukhi: India’s 1st wild cheetah cub turns 3 in MP’s Kuno

Bhopal: Mukhi, India's first cheetah born in the wild after the species was reintroduced, turned three at Kuno National Park on Saturday.It was born on March 29, 2023, to Jwala, who was translocated from Namibia in Sept 2022 as Namibian Siyaya. Mukhi was the only one to survive from the litter of four. The three others fell ill in the severe heat of May 2023 and died. Timely intervention by park authorities saved Mukhi's life.From a small cub to a full-grown adult and now a mother, Mukhi's journey has been closely followed by forest staff at Kuno. Officials said her survival and growth is a positive sign for the cheetah project in the country.There was no formal celebration, but staff on the ground marked the day as a moment of pride. Mukhi is among the first cubs born in India after cheetahs were brought from Africa under Project Cheetah.Her growth into a healthy adult and her role as a mother is being seen as an important step in increasing the cheetah population at Kuno. Officials said such milestones show that the effort to bring back cheetahs to India is moving in the right direction.